the year on reducing the national debt to avoid that fiscal cliff. republican aid describe the tentative white house proposal this way. $1.6 trillion in revenue presented by secretary treasury secretary timothy geithner and stimulus and $400 billion in medicare and other entitlement savings. a permanent increase in the debt limit. >> so, let's get more on the standoff right now. joining us senator bernie sanders of vermont. he caucuses with the democrats. senator, first of all, congratulations on your re-election. thanks for coming in. republicans say, you know what, they'll be flexible, but the democrats have to be flexible, too, especially when it comes to entitlement spending. medicare, medicaid and even reform. are you open to any of that? >> when republicans talk about being flexible, we have not heard one definitive word to what they mean. second of all, our republican friends look up and understand that this issue of the fiscal cliff was debated during the election and, you know what, mitt romney lost. obama won. the american people are very c